


Off the Record

by Moontyger



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Gen, Pre-Episode: s01e15 Out of Time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-04-25
Packaged: 2018-03-25 16:22:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3817006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moontyger/pseuds/Moontyger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barry runs off and leaves Caitlin to entertain Iris.  She does better than she might have expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Off the Record

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alessandralee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alessandralee/gifts).



“I don't know how you do it.”

Caitlin tore her gaze away from the glass doors emblazoned with the CC Jitters logo and forced herself to look at Iris. Barry Allen, she reminded herself, had an actual, official job that offered a ready excuse when he had to run off at a moment's notice - an excuse that would stand up to casual questioning as long as Detective West would cover for him. Caitlin Snow did not. Therefore, it was her job to stay behind and talk to Iris while the Flash was needed elsewhere, to pretend everything was normal and that she wasn't dying to run back to Star Labs.

Caitlin was terrible at pretending everything was normal. “I'm sorry; what?”

“I meant how you stayed at Star Labs, after everything that happened. That couldn't have been easy.” Iris's dark eyes were wide and sympathetic; Caitlin had to look away quickly, before she let that sympathy affect her.

Instead of looking at Iris, she stared at her coffee mug, turning it around repeatedly in her hands while she considered how best to answer. Caitlin hated lying, but there was too much Iris didn't know to be able to answer with uncensored honesty.

“It wasn't exactly a decision, really,” she said at last, when the silence had gone way past awkward. “I wasn't really in much shape to make decisions right after. I was kind of on autopilot. Then one day I looked up and discovered I'd made a decision after all.” All absolutely true, even if it completely avoided the reason why she'd been such a wreck.

Caitlin looked up at Iris again as something occurred to her. “Why do you ask?” It was an awfully personal question, after all, and they didn't know each other that well. Why would Iris just ask something like that?

Iris must be good at her job; she didn't look even the slightest bit uncomfortable, despite Caitlin being as confrontational about it as she knew how. “It just seems like everyone left after the explosion, but you and Cisco stayed on. And you and Dr. Wells took care of Barry when everyone thought he wouldn't wake up. I guess I'm wondering why.”

Caitlin stared openly at Iris, but Iris didn't flinch. “Does Barry know you're asking this? I don't think he'd like you writing about it.”

“No, but this isn't really about him. He was in a coma. This is about you and Star Labs.” Iris's expression was so open and innocent that it was hard not to trust her.

Refusing to answer would have probably just made Iris even more curious, so Caitlin tried instead to answer the way she would have if Barry had still been in that coma, before she knew everything she knew now. “It probably wasn't anything like you're thinking. Most people affected by the explosion weren't as lucky as Barry. He was in a coma, but he was still alive. It seemed like if we could help him, it would go a little way toward helping all those we'd never had a chance to save.” 

Now, of course, she knew that far more had been like Barry than not. They hadn't died; they'd just been changed, in strange and unpredictable ways. But back then, they hadn't known about any of that. She had honestly believed she was partially responsible for the death of hundreds. Sometimes, even knowing what Star Labs had unleashed on Central City, Caitlin found it a relief. Better to have accidentally created supervillains than to be a mass murderer.

“Well, Dad and I really appreciate it. You're heroes in our book.”

Caitlin shook her head. “I'm no hero. Ask anyone – I just didn't have enough survival instinct to get out in time.”

“I think it's commendable. And I'm sure Dr. Wells appreciates it.”

And that, Caitlin decided, was quite enough of that. Talking about work just made her think of what the Flash might be up to. Sure, Cisco could probably handle it, but what if he couldn't? She finished her coffee and set the mug down hard enough to make a small but clearly audible thud, but couldn't quite think of a good way to extricate herself. So she took a deep breath, and determinedly changed the subject. “How's your new job going? It must be quite a change going from Flash blogger to actual reporter.”

Now it seemed it was Iris's turn to wince. “Not as much as you'd think. It turns out they just want me to keep doing what I was doing: writing about the Flash.”

Which was exactly what she shouldn't be doing, at least if they wanted to keep Barry's secret. “What do _you_ want to do?”

Iris shrugged one shoulder and stared blankly out the window. “Oh, you know. I liked blogging, but I thought they wanted me because they liked my writing.”

“Maybe you just need to show them you can write about more than the Flash. But,” Caitlin added, when she saw Iris starting to look hopeful, “not about Star Labs or me, please. Dr. Wells has had enough publicity. Things have been very hard for him; I don't want to add to that.”

Iris nodded, though she still looked disappointed. “Of course. I understand.”

And she probably did, which made what Caitlin said next proof positive that she was a complete pushover. “Have you tried talking to your dad? Reporters work the police beat all the time, or so I've heard.”

“Yes,” Iris agreed, “but not reporters who are just starting out. And he doesn't think it's right if I use my connections to him and Eddie like that.”

Or maybe, Cailin thought, he just didn't want Iris getting too close, both to keep her safe and to protect Barry's secret. “Well, I think you'll do a great job. Barry's right: you're very easy to talk to.”

“Barry said that?”

“Yes, but I thought it was just because he grew up with you. Of course you're easy to talk to; he's done it all his life. But he was right.”

“Well, thanks. I appreciate the vote of confidence.” 

Iris's smile was so genuine that Caitlin could see why Barry liked her so much. Caitlin had always been prickly and distant, bad with people in general, at least until Ronnie. And that scarcely seemed real, because after the particle accelerator exploded, she went right back into her shell, just as if she'd never emerged. Caitlin didn't know how to be open and welcoming, even when she didn't have secrets she was keeping, and she'd never have Iris's charisma. She wondered, in a wistful, not-really-serious way, if it were something that could be taught, but even if it were, she'd have no idea how to ask.

Caitlin was frantically searching for something else to say that would seem even vaguely connected to the rest of their rather stilted conversation when her phone buzzed. _Finally._ Either they'd decided they needed her or one of the other people at Star Labs (probably Cisco, but she couldn't be positive) had decided to take pity on her and give her an excuse for leaving. Caitlin glanced at her phone, but she was already standing and gathering her things.

“I really should be going,” she said, trying to sound apologetic. “But this was... nice.”

Iris stood as well, gathering their mugs to take back to the counter. She didn't really have to do that, but after having worked here for so long, it was probably habit. “It was,” she agreed. “Let's do it again sometime, maybe have a girls' night. We shouldn't need Barry to invite us.”

“I'd like that,” Caitlin said, and was surprised to find it was true. “But only if it's off the record.” She laughed, to take the sting out of it, and even if it were a little fake, Iris joined in.

“One girls night, one hundred percent off the record. I think I can manage that.”

With a final shy smile, Caitlin headed for the door. “I just hope I can,” she said quietly to herself as she unlocked her car and got in. 

Once seated behind the wheel, she put all thoughts of Iris and the girls' night she rather expected she'd be held to out of her mind. Social time was over, she told herself while she called Cisco back. It was time to work. “All right, I'm here. Tell me what's going on.”


End file.
